MUSSOORIE: 'Winterline', an annual meteorological phenomena unique to Mussoorie, has made its seasonal debut, leading to people flocking to various vantage points in the hill town, to gaze at the western horizon during sunset.
The winterline phenomena can be seen at just a handful of places in the world. It is visible when the sun goes down, usually from October to January. Experts believe that it occurs due to the refraction of sunlight.
"During the winter months, sunlight is refracted at a particular angle, and lower levels of moisture and haze play an important role in its visibility. Since Mussoorie has a long valley and the Shivalik ranges towards the west, the winterline is clearly visible from here," said Anand Sharma, former additional director general of the meteorological department.
As the sun sets below the Shivalik ranges, the western horizon, visible from Mussoorie, gets filled with myriad shades of red, orange and yellow above a grey, mauve-coloured strip. This strip appears like a false horizon and is referred to as the 'winterline.'
On Friday, hordes of tourists were seen clicking pictures at various locations at Mall Road, at Gandhi Chowk and also at the recently renovated Sir George Everest Estate, which offers unobstructed views of the Doon valley.
"We have never seen a more beautiful and mesmerising sunset. No wonder Mussoorie is called the 'Queen of Hills'," said Joydeep Ghosh, a tourist from Kolkata after witnessing the winterline phenomena.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Anmol Jain is an MBA who was drawn into journalism due to his fla...
Read MoreAnmol Jain is an MBA who was drawn into journalism due to his flair for writing and a keen desire to raise issues of public interest. He loves to write on ecology and environment and also about his home town Mussoorie.
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